In an exclusive interview, actor Jonathan Majors spoke out for the first time since being found guilty of assaulting and harassing his ex-girlfriend, Grace Jabbari. Majors expressed shock and fear upon hearing the verdict and plans to appeal the conviction. While he admitted to being “reckless with her heart,” he vehemently denied intentionally causing harm to Jabbari.
As we previously reported, Jonathan Majors was arrested and charged following a March 2023 altercation with Jabbari, in a for-hire SUV in New York City. The 32-year-old was found guilty of one count of misdemeanor third-degree assault and one count of second-degree harassment in December. However, the jury acquitted him of two other counts of assault and aggravated harassment, resulting in a split verdict. This mixed outcome suggests that the jury believed Majors acted recklessly but did not intentionally harm Jabbari.
During the exclusive interview with ABC News Live’s Linsey Davis, Majors emphasized his desire to share his perspective as part of the healing process. He revealed that picking up Jabbari on that fateful day was one of the “biggest mistakes of his life.” Majors admitted to trying to get rid of her and escape from the situation, as shown in the video evidence. However, he acknowledged that his attempt to keep her in the car was another significant mistake.
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Despite the conviction, Majors firmly denied twisting Jabbari’s arm and expressed confidence that he did not cause the injuries she sustained. He claimed to be unaware of how those injuries occurred, maintaining his innocence regarding the specific acts he was charged with.
“She went to grab the phone. I held the phone. I pulled the phone back. She came on top of me, squeezed my face, slapped me. That’s all I remember,” he said. As for how her injuries occurred, Majors said, “I wish to god I knew. That would give clarity. That would give me some type of peace about it,” he said.
However, he went on to admit he was “reckless with her heart” and said he has never struck a woman “ever.” He continued, “I’m an athlete. I’m a sportsman. I know my body. I know how it moves. I know my strength, or lack thereof, you know? None of that was employed on her,” he said.
To note, Jabbari was arrested in October 2023 in New York on multiple charges. However, the Manhattan district attorney’s office ultimately decided not to prosecute her because the case “lacks prosecutorial merit.”
In response to Majors’ comments during the sit-down interview, Jabbari’s attorney released a statement saying, the actor “continues to take no accountability for his actions.”
“His denigration of our jury system is not dissimilar from the above-the-law attitude that he has maintained throughout this legal process,” her attorney, Brittany Henderson told ABC News. “The timing of these new statements demonstrates a clear lack of remorse for the actions for which he was found guilty and should make the sentencing decisions fairly easy for the Court.”
As Majors awaits sentencing on the misdemeanor charges, he intends to appeal the verdict. This decision reflects his determination to challenge the conviction and seek justice through the legal system. Majors hopes that by sharing his side of the story, he can contribute to the healing process for both himself and Jabbari.
The entertainer is set to be sentenced for the two guilty counts on Feb. 6. As previously mentioned he’s looking up to a year in prison on the two counts, though that sentence is unlikely for a first-time offender.
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EXCLUSIVE: "This has been very, very, very hard and very difficult and confusing in many ways."
Jonathan Majors speaks out for the first time after conviction in domestic violence trial and shares hopes to work in Hollywood again. @LinseyDavis reports. https://t.co/MyWyLCbpzv pic.twitter.com/W7D3IH3eRW
— Good Morning America (@GMA) January 8, 2024